Edwin lane



(No Model.)

B. LANE. EGG TESTER.

Patented Mar. 16 1897.

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EDWIN LANE, OF JOHNSTONVN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS J. FEARL, OF SAME PLACE.

EGG-TESTER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 57 9,065, dated March 1.6, 1897.

Application filedv January 12, 1897. Serial No. 618,991. (No model.)

To all 11/72/0772 it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN LANE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at J ohnstown,in the county of Oambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg lesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved portable egg-tester which is very simple, cheap, and effective; and it consists of a box or casing which contains a mirror and an apertured plate or tray adapted to support the eggs to be tested, the box and tray being of peculiar construction to provide a sightopening when the cover of the box is raised, and when said cover or lid is lowered the device presents a rectangular box of plain appearance which can be readily handled or stored, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth,

7 and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an egg-tester constructed in accordance with my invention, the cover or lid being closed. Fig. 2 is a plan View with the lid or cover thrown back, and Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

A designates a suitable box or casing which is preferably rectangular and is provided with a lid or cover A, hinged to the upper edge of one of the side pieces thereof, said lid or cover having a handle and a hook or catch for holding the same closed, as shown in Fig. 1. One of the end pieces A of this box or casing is cut away at its upper end to present an openin g of peculiar shape, for the purpose hereinafter set forth, the lower wall of said opening or upper edge of the end piece'of the box being curved from each side downwardly and inwardly to a point near the center of said end piece, where it is further curved downward to present an extension a of the main part of the opening. The cover or lid A is provided at its end adjoining the end piece A with a depending portion or flange a, which is shaped to correspond with the opening A so as to close the same when the lid is closed.

B designates the tray or support for the eggs, and consists of a plate having a suitable number of openings to receive the eggs, and said tray is supported in position near the upper end of the box by means of strips 12, secured to the side and end pieces of the latter, the upper side of the tray being provided with a transverse strip 1), upon which the lid or cover A bears when closed to hold the tray upon its supporting-strips and thereby prevent its displacement or movement in the box when the device is being carried. Upon the bottom of the box A is placed a mirror or refleeting-surface O, which is held in place by strips 0.

The end of the tray B which adjoins the opening A is cut away or curved inwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, so that in conjunction with said opening a sight-opening will be provided which conforms as near as possible to that part of the operators face which is placed against the box in viewing the condition of the eggs that are reflected in the mirror O, and in order to better exclude the light the sides of the extension a of the sight-opem ing are beveled. It will also be noted that when the device is used the forehead of the user will bear upon the strip b and will assist in excluding the light.

The device hereinbefore described can be easily handled, is portable, and can be cheaply manufactured.

I am aware that prior to my invention eggtesters have been made in which a mirror or reflector is placed in the bottom of a box and a tray positioned above the same, a large sight-opening being left in one side of the box, and I do not therefore claim such construction broadly; but

IVhat I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination in an egg-tester, of a box or receptacle having one of the end pieces thereof cut away at its upper end to provide a sight-opening, a lid hinged to the upper end of the box and provided with a depending portion adapted to close said sight-opening, and a tray located on a line with the sightopening and having an inwardly-curved end adjoining the same; together with a mirror or reflecting-surface upon the bottom of the box, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination in an egg-tester, of a box or casing having one of the end pieces thereof cut away at its upper end to provide a sight-opening, a lid hinged to. the upper end of the box and provided with a depending portion adapted to close said sight-opening, strips secured below the upper edge of the box, and a tray resting upon said strips and provided upon its upper side with a transverse strip, the end of the tray adjoining the sight-opening being cut away or curved inwardly; together with a mirror or reflectingsurface located below the tray, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination in an egg-tray, of a box or casing having one of the end pieces thereof cut away at its upper end to present a sightopening the lower edge of which extends from each side of the end piece downwardly and inwardly therefrom to near the center of said end piece where it is further curved downward to provide the extension a of the main opening; a lid hinged to the upper end of the box and provided with a depending portion which corresponds with the shape of the opening so as to close the same when the lid is closed; together with a tray supported in the box on a line with the sight-opening and pro vided with an inwardly-curved end adjoining said. sight-opening, and a mirror secured in place below the tray,'substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN LANE. \Vitnesses:

S. OSCAR WHITE,

HERMAN WILsoN. 

